Journal # 8

Think of something that represents you. A rose, a song, an animal, what is it? Why does it represent you?

I'm represented by my power animal, the bald head eagle. Swift and courageous, delicate but powerful, majestic and beautiful. I am the symbol of all things righteous and true. I am the Bald Head Eagle!

I hope you didn't take any of that seriously, I couldn't help but say something a little silly cause I find the topic a little campy and corny, no offense. I'll try my best to answer the question though to the best of my abilities. I can't think of an animal or an inanimate object that best represents me personally but maybe I'll take this time to talk about a song that I can definitely identify with.

If I was vibration, and could not be seen, only heard. I would be the song Sowing Season by the band Brand New. There's a couple lines that strike a cord with me and its a little negative but maybe it means something to me because of the things i've been through in life. The lyrics are.

Do you miss the blend?

Color she left in your black and white field.

Do you feel condemned, just being there?

I'm not your friend.

I'm just a man who knows how to feel.

I'm not your friend

I'm not your lover

I'm not your family

Yeah.

Its pretty powerful, especially when you listen to the song, I hope you will.

Journal # 7

The grass is always greener on the other side.

I've heard this quote many times growing up. I think when I was younger I took it literally and really thought on the other-side of the world maybe the grass really is a bit greener. Now, years later, I'm pretty sure there is just a lot of deserts on the other side of the world and i've seen some mighty fine grass around my neighborhood.

What does the quote seem to mean to me now? I think whoever came up with it meant that its easy to think everything looks better outside of where you are and you've been drawn the short straw. When In reality most people are thinking the same things as you, no ones grass is actually any greener then yours.

I think everyone has a little unhappiness in life. You can't have the good with out the bad, its only fair. The best years of my life were the ones that seemed terrible and unhappy at the time, its the only times in my life that I actually learnt anything about myself. They helped me become the person I am today.

Journal # 6

Childhood is measured out by sounds and smells and sights, before the dark hour of reason grows. If you could retain one childhood characteristic, what would it be and why?

If I could keep one characteristic of myself from my childhood it would be how painfully ignorant I was to the world around me. When crossing the street and hanging out at the connivence store was considered traveling. When it didn't matter what I did, I was never afraid, nothing could hurt me. Now a days I feel like my mind is polluted with thing I've read and stuff i've experienced and seen.

The world can be a fun place, don't get me wrong, I'm very grateful to be alive. I just can't take all the miserable things that happen everyday. As I get older I feel like the fun times blend together and the worst times of my life stick out like a sore thumb. I was sitting on my couch the other day, flipping through channels, and I came across a infomercial for Sick Kids. Despite my better judgement I sat and watched the whole thing and couldn't help but feel disgusted that I live in a world where such terrible things as childhood cancer is possible. I'd rather not know, I'd rather have my childhood ignorance and carry on blissfully unaware of what's going on, perfectly content with the world around me.

Journal # 5

A wrongfully accused man is always vilified by the ignorant masses. Such a man should fire at will, he is bound to hit something. What do you think the speaker of the quote means? Is a person who is acquitted of a crime, that they were wrongfully accused of, ever really seen as innocent again by their peers? what would you do if you or someone close to you was wrongfully accused of a crime?

What I believe the speaker of the quote means is that no matter what, someone who has been charged of committing a crime will always have that bad stigma with society, no matter what he does. There will always be a group of people who still thinks he committed the crime or won't trust him because of the image he once held. The only thing he can do is keep pleading his innocence and maybe one day he can change peoples minds or strike a cord with at least someone.

I think if you are acquitted and beyond a doubt proven innocent of a crime you were charged for, then there is no way your peers can't think your innocent. There definitely will be some guilt from the people that without a doubt thought you did it, but, your real friends and family will have already known the truth and they are ones that really matter.

If I was wrongfully accused of a crime I would do the only thing you can do, continue to plead my innocence and hope for the best. Or I'd pull a Shawshank Redemption, bust out of jail and live the rest of my days on the beach with Morgan Freeman.